PJ's Griffin Sellinger named TransOptions Student of the Month

11/27/2017

Submitted photo — Pope John XXIII Regional High School senior Griffin Sellinger, center, receives the TransOptions Student of the Month award for his accomplishments inside and outside the classroom as a student at Pope John XXIII Regional High School. Sellinger was announced as the award recipient on Nov. 15 on WSUS 102.3 radio, where he was interviewed by WSUS Morning Show host Steve Andrews. Pictured with Sellinger, from left, are Joe Caravella of TransOptions, Liz McDonough of Visions Federal Credit Union and WSUS 102.3's Radio Show Host Steve Andrews.

“I want to be professional musician,” the Pope John XXIII Regional High School senior said. “There’s just no better feeling than playing music.”

If his most recent award is any indication, Sellinger is well on his way toward achieving that dream.

Sellinger was named the TransOptions Sussex County Student of the Month for his accomplishments inside and outside the classroom as a student at Pope John XXIII Regional High School. Sellinger was announced as the award recipient on Nov. 15 on WSUS 102.3 radio, where he was interviewed by WSUS Morning Show host Steve Andrews.

“It felt really nice to get a reward like this,” said Sellinger, who received a $50 gift card from TransOptions and a $50 gift card from Visions Federal Credit Union in conjunction with the award. “I’ve put a lot of work into my classes at Pope John and into my activities outside of school. It’s great.”

“Griffin is a great student,” Pope John XXIII Regional High School Principal and President Father McHugh said. “His gifts and his talents have not gone unnoticed here. He has made great contributions to the life of Pope John XXIII Regional High School.”

In the classroom, Sellinger has a 4.0 GPA despite having carried a heavy workload, including eight AP classes and 13 honors classes. He has earned accolades such as AP Scholar with Honor, National Merit Commended Scholar and Pope John’s Distinguished Honors plus induction into the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, a math honor society.

Outside of the classroom, Sellinger plays for the Pope John boys volleyball team and travels nationally with the chess team. He also founded the Songwriting Club, a club that had been defunct until this year.

Along with the Songwriting Club, Sellinger said he shares his experiences and passion for music while playing for the Mosaics — a local cover band that plays rock songs. Sellinger is a singer and guitar player for the band, which practices an hour per week and plays a show every two to three weeks at places such as family festivals, Sparta Lanes and other events throughout Sussex County. One of their most recent performances was at a benefit for an 11-year girl diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma whose family is struggling with medical bills.

Sellinger, who started playing music in the fourth grade on the piano and took guitar lessons in eighth grade, says he has a lot of pride in playing for others.

“Being in a band makes you feel like you are a part of something greater,” Sellinger said. “It feels very good to entertain people.”

Sellinger says he will pursue this dream while also majoring in computer science when he attends college next year. Sellinger said he is looking into attending either Drexel University or Northeastern University.

Starting today, Mrs. Jacquelyn Burt will get to witness what slavery was like at George Washington’s Mount Vernon when she participates in a four-day, residential program run by the George Washington Teacher Institute.